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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

E. HAMPEL.

PoTATo DIGGING MACHINE. No. 605,871. Patented June 21,1898.

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E. HAMPBL. POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

No. 605,871. Patented June 21,1898.

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E. HAMPEL.

POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

No. 605,871. Patented June 21,1898.

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nnNsr HAMPEL, or HAUNOLD, GERMANY.

POTATO-DBGGING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,871, dated .Tune 21, 1898. Application led October 9, 1897. Serial No. 654.710. (No model.) Patented in Germany September 30, 1897, No. 94,501.

To LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST HAMPEL, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at-Haunold, Prussia, Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Potato-Digging Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has been patented in Germany, No. 94,501, dated September 30, 1897.

This invention relates to that class of agricultural machines used for digging out or extracting potatoes.

The features of invention reside in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The method of carrying this invention into effect is illustrated in the'accompanying drawings, as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan. Figs. 3 and 4. are respectively elevation and plan of the portion of the harrow which does the weeding. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the complete harrow in detail.

On reference to the drawings it will be seen that a frame c carries two tractionwheels a a, fitted with suitable spiked proj ections b, which grip in the soil. These spiked projections ZJ may be of any suitable form capable of withdrawal from the soil as the machine travels forward. On the front of the frame a draw-bar c for yoking the team to is provided. Upon the axle CZ Of the wheels d d two bevel spur-wheels e e are keyed, and situated between these spur-wheels is a small bevel-wheel g, which can be made to engage, as required, with either of the wheels e c. by means of the lever f, moving the spur-wheel g to one side or the other. The small wheel g is keyed upon one extremity of a shaft h,

while at the other extremity a similar bevelwheel t' is fixed, which in turn gears with a bevel-wheel lo, xed upon the top end of a shaft Z, rotating in suitable bearings on the framework and at an angle with the ground, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This shaft Z car-v ries the circular harrow m, so that when the machine is drawn forward the harrow may be rotated in either direction by putting the wheel g into gear with either of the bevelpinions e c', the direction being changed according to the side upon which it is desired to place the potatoes. l

The circular harrow fm. consists of twelve radiating arms 'n' to m12, inclusive, and each of these arms has two steel teeth t' t' attached to its extremities in the positions clearly shown in the drawings, while fixed to the ends of these arms n to 7112, inclusive, are extension-pieces carrying short steel teeth t, which operate to remove the weeds and potato-tops in a manner hereinafter described, the teeth t acting upon the soil to extract potatoes. The shorter teeth t, which tear away the potato-tops and weeds and throw them on one side, may be arranged to oscillate and facilitate thefalling off of the tops and weeds from the teeth, and Ain order that these weeds and tops may be conveyed toward the outside and not fall in upon the teeth t', which are harrowing the potatoes, two curved ribs u. are fixed over the extension, as shown on Figs. 3,

4, and 5, which lead off the weeds and tops' Vof the plowshares r r and the depth of the following wheel o, which slides on a bracket o suitable for this purpose.

The plowshares r r break up and loosen the soil in front of the harrow m, and these shares are applied in such a manner to the machine that they may be lifted, as required, out of the soil on'either side. The shares are fixed to a share-holder q, which in turn rotates upon a supporting-block'p, fastened to the framework c'. Levers s S, pivoted upon the side ofthe framework c', are so disposed that in one position they hold either shareholder rigidly down in the soil, but when released they allow the share-holder to swivel to either side, lifting out either share, as may be required.

The operation of the hereinbefore-described mechanism is as follows: The pulling of the team of horses sets in motion the machine, and the bevel-wheels e e,'through the bevelcogs g, t', and 7c, rotate the inclined shaft Z, carrying the harrow m. rlhe ground is cut up by the plowshares, and as the` teeth t, which remove the weeds and potato-tops, are in ad- ICO vance of the harrow-teeth t the loosened soil and the absence of the weeds allow these harrow-teeth to easily and rapidly extract the potatoes and deposit them in heaps on either side of the machine, according to the direction of rotation of the harrow. Thus the amount of tractive force on the driving-wheels act is very slight in comparison to the machines at present in use, because the circular harrow does not, like the Wheel now used, eX- ert its power upon a fixed body, but upon a comparatively free one, as the plowshares have loosened the soil and the extensions carrying,` the teeth zi have removed the potatotops and the weeds.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. In combination in a potato-digger, the frame, a rotary harrow, the shaft therefor and the two sets of teeth extending,` downwardly and substantially parallel with the shaft of the rotary harrow, said teeth bein glong,` and short, the short teeth being at a greater distance from the shaft than the long teeth, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a potatodigger, the frame, a rotary barrow, a shaft therefor, the two sets of teeth extending downwardly and substantially parallel with said shaft, some of said teeth being shorter than the others, and being arranged at a greater distance from the shaft than the long teeth and an inclined rod over the short teeth adapted to take the weeds and potatotops and direct them laterally, substantially as described.

In Witness whereo` I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of September, 1897.

ERNST IIAMIEL.

Witnessesc MAX Hinscrinnnn, LOUIS K. VLATZ. 

